1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to grass clippings collectors carried by vehicles such as riding lawn mowers for collecting vegetation clippings cut by the mower, and for venting the air which has carried the materials to the collector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mowing vehicles such as riding lawn tractors have often been provided with grass baggers. During mowing operation, the mower blade rotates within a mower deck or housing to generate a current of air while cutting vegetation. This current of air carries grass clippings into a chute that is coupled with the housing. The chute directs the air and clippings to a container or grass bag where the clippings accumulate. Conventional grass bagging systems typically provide mechanisms for venting the air from the bag in order to allow the proper flow of air from the housing to the bag via the chute. Without such a venting system, the flow of air stops once the bag fills with air, and the grass clippings then no longer flow through the chute and into the bag.
One type of conventional grass bagger provides a perforate bag within which clippings collect. Typically, these bags are a mesh or cloth material. The bags allow air to pass through the perforate material, and therefore the material of the bag itself acts as a vent. When the bags become full, they must be removed, and the grass emptied therefrom. These mesh or cloth bags are generally inoperative when lined with a plastic garbage bag, because the plastic material of the garbage bag is generally imperforate and would not allow air to be vented through the bag material. The air flow would be blocked, and the clippings would cease to be transported to the bags. Therefore, if the clippings are to be disposed of in plastic garbage bags, the operator must perform the additional step of dumping the clippings from the perforate bags and into the plastic garbage bags.
Another type of grass bagger provides a screen for allowing the air to be vented. A cover or hopper top is typically positioned over the open bag for directing the clippings from the chute into the bag. The screen is typically positioned in the wall of the hopper top to allow air to pass therethrough while blocking the grass clippings from exiting. Since the venting action is accomplished by a mechanism other than the bag itself, imperforate bags such as disposable garbage bags may be used to directly receive the clippings from the chute. The step of transferring the clippings from a cloth bag to a plastic garbage bag is thereby eliminated. However, many grass baggers position screens near the top of the bagger structure, and do not act to direct the air in any particular direction. Therefore, the vented air may be discharged near or at the vehicle operator, which may cause discomfort or annoyance to the operator.
Another type of grass bagger provides a chute or duct that channels the discharged air to a location and in a direction that will not cause annoyance or discomfort to the vehicle operator. These ducts tend to add to the material and assembly costs of the grass bagger mechanisms.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a material collector that receives air and clippings, and that properly vents air, thereby maintaining an adequate stream of air for transporting clippings to the collector. It would be desirable for such a collector to be adapted for directly accumulating the clippings in plastic garbage bags while maintaining proper venting action. It would also be desirable for such a collector to vent air to a location and in a direction that will not cause annoyance or discomfort to the vehicle operator, yet will not undesirably add to the material or assembly costs of the mechanism. It would further be desirable to provide a collector system that is easily removed from and installed on the vehicle without involving loose parts or the use of tools.